Between the Pictures
by Aniron peded
Summary: While visiting Radiant Garden, Kairi finds an old photo album.


Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters that appear or are mentioned in it.

Post-KH2, though not by much. This is in the same universe as _Foolish Apprentice_, but you don't have to read it to understand this one. Slightly spoilery about the apprentices, Ansem, and Hollow Bastion.

* * *

Kairi found the photo album tucked behind several books placed haphazardly on the shelves in Ansem's study. The room still looked like a hurricane had hit it, since the Restoration Committee had more important jobs on its hands than cleaning up unused rooms. Still, she was a little surprised to find something that wasn't a textbook in the room. 

The album obviously predated Radiant Garden's fall, since one of the first pictures she found was of three almost-teens, a blond boy, a silver-haired boy that she had to take a second look at to assure herself it wasn't Riku, and a dark-haired girl. The last two appeared to be playing a game of Keep Away with the blond. _Cloud, Sephiroth, and Tifa_, the inscription said. On the opposite page was Leon, looking stiff and uncomfortable in a navy-blue uniform with golden trim. _Radiant Garden's newest squire, Squall Leonhart_ was written neatly under the photo. Kairi giggled; he couldn't have been any older than herself at the time. Those pictures were near the back, though, so she flipped to the front to begin looking.

Her smile faded almost instantly; the very first picture was of a teenaged _Xehanort, studying_. "He doesn't look bad," she said to herself. _Back then, he probably wasn't,_ Namine responded. _None of them were._ Kairi nodded in agreement as she turned the page. The next few pictures were more of the same - Xehanort around the lab or reading, mixed in with other people of Radiant Garden she had never met.

Between one page and the next, though, more people appeared in the photos. _Braig, Dilan, and Xehanort after a paintball fight_, earned a small smile. The three young men were covered in various shades of paint, but grinning cheerfully at the camera. One of them apparently got his hands on the camera, since the next one was of Ansem the Wise, looking patiently amused. _Braig's prank_ was in slightly different handwriting, but explained Ansem's green hair in the picture. She laughed out loud at the next one, though; _Ansem's Revenge_ involved blue skin dye that lasted through the next few pictures.

A fourth person joined. _Even, studying_ didn't shed much light on him, though, since he was nearly completely hidden behind a pile of books in the library. _The apprentices, too much studying_ was much better, since the four were visible, sprawled across chairs and the couch, sound asleep. "How cute."

A few more pages before _Elaeus gives Braig a lift_ introduced the next person. His grip on Braig's ankles belied the put-upon expression Elaeus wore. Kairi didn't doubt that he had no intention of letting Braig fall, no matter what the other man did. His size apparently didn't make him immune from the pranks the others seemed to enjoy playing, if the picture of him chasing Xehanort and Dilan through the halls was any indication.

_Ienzo, Xehanort, and Even, forgot umbrellas_ made her snort. A better description might have been _drowned rats_, since the three certainly looked the part. A few more pages were turned. _Braig thinks he's a pirate now_ was the only explanation given to the eyepatch that suddenly appeared.

_The new lab_ sent a chill down her spine. From what Sora and Riku had told her, that lab was the source of all that had happened to them the last two years. _Strange meteor shower_ did nothing to dispel it.

_Mickey Mouse, king of Disney Castle_ brought a smile to her face. The apprentices in the photo apparently didn't feel the same, she realized as she took a closer look. All six of them were in the background, and not one of them looked pleased.

There were a few more pictures of Mickey, and then the ones of Leon and Cloud. The last few pages of the album were blank. Kairi shut the book, then replaced it back on the shelf. Some things were better left alone.


End file.
